Walk With Me
by DapperTerrier
Summary: Walks-Without-Noise has blazed his share of trails and also burned his share of bridges while trying to make it in the land of the Nords. His stubborn refusal to retrace his steps back to his home in Cyrodiil has kept pushing him forward and provided him a new home and new companions. But even the most weathered footprints can still be followed by those who look hard enough.
1. The Argonian and the Lioness

There was a chill in the night air and the smell of an oncoming rain shower over the town of Riften. The rain would be a welcome occurrence to the green and blue Argonian if not for the promise it would be freezing. He growled as the first few drops plopped onto his scaly head, signaling the real storm was not too far away. His shredded clothing wasn't going to keep him safe from the elements much longer; he required a new set if he wished to face the approaching storm. That, a good meal and a few fat coin purses to keep himself going for a while longer. Lifting items had become difficult in the homeland of the Nords, especially without a guild to fall back on, but since his ordeal in Solitude, he had no desire to seek out the one of Skyrim.

Walks-Without-Noise's stomach twisted and gurgled in hunger, prompting him to continue his search for a suitable house from which to "borrow" a few things. He shied away from the homes closer to the temple and Keep, not wishing to invoke the wrath of a god or a jarl. One closer to the entrance would be better in case he needed to make a quick escape. A loud burst of thunder rolled across the sky before it opened up and began pouring sheets of rain, soaking the Argonian. Shivering and hissing at the sky in retaliation to the gods' neglect, Walks crept to the front door of a house sprinting distance away from the main gate. The lock gave a satisfying little click after a few tries at picking it, much to the green and blue Argonian's delight.

He suppressed a smile as he entered the dark house. The glow of a fire slowly dying in the hearth was the only light source Walks could see; he carefully stuck to the corners of the room to avoid detection. Golden eyes quickly scanned the interior for anything of use and landed on a rather large pot. It must've been the remains of the night's dinner, for the hungry Argonian could whiff something like a stew from it. His stomach gurgled loudly and for a moment he froze, frightened that someone might have heard it. When no one came, he crept over to the pot and peered in. A few glorious bowlfuls were still left, and Walks-Without-Noise didn't bother to stop drooling as he started lapping them up.

_Stendarr be praised_, he prayed inwardly, happy for once for his luck. Though it seemed rather pitiful finding a nearly empty soup pot was the extent the god of mercy had aided him in the months after prison, Walks would debate it later. His belly was beginning to fill, and that as all that mattered at the moment.

_Now, where's the wine?_ Walks-Without-Noise questioned while licking the last dregs off his snout and glancing about the room again. Opening a few cabinets, he soon found one nearly empty wine bottle and a few blue bottles of mead. He took one off the shelf, uncorked it, sniffed and recoiled at the odor. Black-Briar. It wasn't the blue and green Argonian's first—or last—choice of drink, but downed the piss-water anyway. Thirst and hunger satisfied, the thief slowly sneaked up the stairs, stepping over a few warped boards. All he needed to find was some new clothes, a few bags of gold, and then leave. There was no need to overstay his welcome, he reasoned. The homeowner had been gracious enough to leave food out for him, so he wouldn't give into the temptation of lifting other valuables if he came across them.

Two rooms greeted him on the second level, one even with the door ajar. He peeked through the crack, finding a young man snoring away on a small bed. Walks was beginning to think his luck was indeed improving while he slipped into the room and began rifling through a large dresser. As much as his hands itched to take a few of the finer garments, he needed something that wouldn't get him robbed on the city streets. Walks spied a coarse shirt buried in the drawer and slung it over his shoulder before turning to the bedside table. He had a good guess of what shiny objects might lie inside. The man wasn't facing it. The thief took the chance.

Its small drawer thankfully slid open without much fuss. Another smile crept onto his face as three coin purses greeted his eyes in the darkness. It quickly vanished when gold pieces fell out of the rip in the bottom of one he picked up. Startled, he threw shaking hands over the drawer to muffle the clatter but only managed to amplify it. Walks quickly turned his head and met the eyes of the now-awake and angry Imperial.

"Mjoll!" the man shouted as he lunged for the reptile. The Argonian jumped back but the Imperial managed to snag him around the waist and floor him. Walks-Without-Noise fought to get up while the man struggled to keep his hold until receiving a clawed foot in his groin. The man howled in pain and released the struggling reptile; Walks scrambled to his feet with the shirt still clutched in hand and bolted for the stairs.

The second door swung open just as he reached the first step. The young thief whirled to see the other being and caught his foot on one of the bent boards, sending him tumbling down the staircase. Walks rammed his scaly head against a cupboard as he reached the main floor; he lay there, stunned, with every limb aching while a thin line of blood trickled from his bruised nose.

"By the Hist," he groaned while trying to roll onto his back. A strong hand suddenly gripped his throbbing shoulder and hauled him up, bracing him against the cupboard. The irate Nord woman scowled at him as she pressed the tip of her glass sword to his chest; Walks tried to pull away from the bite of the weapon but his squirming only made her grip tighten. When the sword drew blood, he froze and stared at her with wide, fearful eyes. The food hadn't been worth this.

"You picked the wrong house to steal from, thief," she growled, her expression made worse by the dim lighting. A groan sounded from the top of the stairs, making them both look up to find the man slowly descending to where they were. "Aerin, are you badly hurt?"

The Imperial shook his head. "It's nothing, Mjoll. The lizard kicked me, that's all. Should I call the guards?"

"Yes," she replied, turning her gaze back to Walks. "Tell them we have a member of the Thieves Guild restrained."

The Argonian trembled as he watched Aerin head for the door. Desperate, he started to fight to get free from Mjoll's grasp and cried, "No no no please, don't! I'm not one of them, and I haven't taken anything of value! I swear by the Hist I haven't!"

"And you won't," the Nord reassured him, easily keeping him braced against the cupboard. The Imperial's hand grasped the door handle and turned it.

"I only came here to find food and clothing!" Walks-Without-Noise shouted. He was nearly surprised when Aerin turned to look at him. Even Mjoll's expression softened a bit. "I don't have a septim to my name and would have starved if I hadn't broken in! I wanted to take the gold so I could buy food and a few nights at the inn." He went still again, but his fear was still evident. "Please, let me explain myself." The Nord pulled the sword back slightly before her gaze fell on the crumpled shirt at their feet, then to the two empty mead bottles still sitting on the table to their right. Mjoll turned her eyes back to his and, for a long moment, held his gaze. She finally sheathed her glass sword-much to his relief-but kept a firm grip on his shoulder.

"We're going to sit down at the table," she began slowly, "and you and I are going to have a discussion."

"Mjoll, you can't be serious," Aerin reasoned, coming to her side. "Even if he is telling the truth, he stole from us. And what if he's lying? This could be a disguise so he can buy his way out of jail."

"I will hear what he has to say," the Nord stated as she tugged the Argonian to the bench. "We will decide what to do with him after he has had a chance to speak." Walks did as he was instructed and remained seated. He knew not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but wanted to make sure it didn't bite him first. Mjoll and Aerin took the bench across from him. "Alright, Argonian, explain yourself," she instructed. Walks-Without-Noise held back a few nervous chuckles; his luck was riding a levitation spell gone awry this rainy night. Still, he held back on prayer as he began his story.

"I came here from Cheydinhal three years ago," he explained in an even tone, trying to hide how nervous he was. He stopped, remembering his bruised nose and wiped the blood away before continuing. "A few friends and I moved up here to try our luck at finding fortune. As you can tell," he gestured to his tattered clothes, "it didn't work out the way we thought it would. Our coin quickly vanished along with our morale, and after two years I was the only one still living in the province. I had hoped that perhaps if I stayed a while longer, I could find what I was looking for. The only thing I found was a cold, damp gutter in Solitude."

"You weren't able to find work?" Aerin questioned.

"If I looked like you, maybe I would have had better odds," Walks responded. His tone softened when he saw the glare return on the Imperial's features. "It's difficult to find work in a land that doesn't take very well to outsiders. I wasn't going to break my back for those who saw me as nothing more than slave labor, so I began taking what I needed to survive. Food, coin, clothing, anything that would keep me alive for another day. My actions didn't go unnoticed; eventually I was approached by another Argonian named Gulum-Ei and offered work." The blue and green reptile chuckled bitterly at the memory. "It felt like a blessing at first, finally being able to not worry where I was going to get my next meal. It was a simple job at the docks helping him and a few other associates…move cargo, as he put it. Turned out most of his "clients" were connected to the Thieves Guild, but a job's a job and I paid it little mind."

"You worked for those cutthroats?" Mjoll questioned angrily, rising from her seat. The Argonian quickly held up his hands in defense.

"Out of necessity, yes," he explained hurriedly. "I was good at stealing things and needed work, and he needed someone with my skills and had the wages. But as time went on, I found we didn't see eye to eye very well. His…less than honorable business practices were something I could no longer stomach. I confronted him, told him I wanted to leave, and he obliged, but not before sending me on one last errand." A terse hiss escaped the young Argonian's throat as he growled, "He set me up. He wanted to show me who I was dealing with, what the Guild and its associates were capable of. The damn snake landed me in Solitude's dungeon for almost six months. I was released only a few weeks ago, back to scrounging and stealing to live."

Aerin snorted. "And you came here, the headquarters of the Thieves Guild? Trying to make amends for the past?"

Walks-Without-Noise's eyes narrowed slightly. "I came here to get as far away from Skyrim's Imperial City as I could. Four years ago I might have considered joining up with those sewer-lurkers, but not anymore. I've seen what they can do and I want no part in it." His gaze turned to the Nord sitting across from him. Her brow was knitted as if in thought while she gave the young thief a hard, long look. Something in him couldn't bear the stare and he turned away after a moment, uncomfortably shifting on the bench. Walks heard her stand and begin walking to the stairs.

"Stay with him, Aerin," she instructed the Imperial as she disappeared into the upper level of the house. The two shared a brief bewildered look before the reptile spied the door. He could run for it if he wanted to. Just leap over the table, dodge the human and get out of the house. Try another house the next night and not get caught. Simple. The Argonian's muscles tensed in preparation for the escape, but instead launched him a few inches out of his seat in surprise when a coin purse was tossed onto the table. He looked up and found Mjoll standing at his side, her expression still stern.

"Go to the Bee and the Barb to rent a room," she explained. "There should be enough gold here to get you a meal and some new clothes in the morning. The Pawned Prawn should have a few things you could wear." Walks blinked. The woman had just given someone who had broken into her house a bag of gold. This wasn't how things normally went. Of course, normally people didn't let him sit at their table and allow him to defend himself, either.

"I…thank you," he replied, though he didn't know what possessed him to utter the next two words, "but why?"

"If you are the thief of necessity you spoke of in your story," Mjoll began evenly, "then this should be what you need to stay out of homes and strongboxes. I'm doing you a favor so you don't sit in a cell for six more months. But know this is as far as my generosity to a thief will go; if we meet again in these circumstances, I will not be as forgiving." She motioned for him to follow her to the door and he did so, the bag of gold gripped tightly in his hand. Walks-Without-Noise stopped in the doorway and glanced at the Nord, then to his gift.

"Thank you," he uttered sincerely. Mjoll offered him a nod and a small smile as she shut the door behind him. Once again, he was out in the freezing rain and chilled wind. The Argonian snorted and looked up at the pouring heavens.

"You have an odd way of showing mercy, you know?" he grumbled. A flash of lightning lit up the sky in response. Walks-Without-Noise shook the cold rain from his head and made his way to the inn, hoping that his luck had turned around for the better.


	2. Let's Talk Business

Walks-Without-Noise stretched his arms over his head as he exited the Pawned Prawn, arching his back until the vertebrae popped back into place. It felt wonderful having a full set of clean clothes to call his own again. The garments only consisted of a bleached burlap shirt with simple brown trousers and rough cowhide boots, but for someone who had been shivering in nothing but rags they felt like noble's attire. A small content sigh escaped his lips as he began to meander around Riften. Walks had slept well into noontime but enjoyed the heat of the high sun warming his muddy-green scales. The previous night's storm had left a faint, pleasing scent of rain on the wind, as well as a few puddles the Argonian made sure to walk through. Some of the guards gave him strange looks but he could care less. His belly was full, he was warm, a couple of coins still clinked in his coin purse, and he was a free man. Sure, Walks-Without-Noise would eventually run out of gold and would need to find a way to get more—either his usual way or by other methods—but for the moment, he would enjoy the day.

After wandering about for a bit, the blue and green thief settled against a portion of the city wall near the blacksmith's shop that offered a good view of the town's center. Feeling peckish, Walks took out the apple he'd procured from the inn and crunched into it while he watched with mild interest as the citizens of the town bustled about the marketplace. A few Nord women chattered about daily chores over by the general goods stall while the dark elf tending to it tried in vain to get their attention with some of his wares. The armor seller argued with a rough looking Imperial over the price of a dented helmet, both nearly red-faced and about to come to blows. Rhythmic pounding of metal from the smith blended with the calls of a red-haired peddler about "Falmer Blood Elixir" or something of the sort. He'd seen it all before both in other parts of Skyrim and his home province, but it never ceased to amaze him how many different faces he could spot in one area. What attracted the Argonian's attention the most, however, was the sound of an accent similar to his coming from the rotunda. Craning around a few stacked boxes, Walks caught sight of another Argonian trying to entice potential buyers with the advertisement of fine jewelry. For a moment he thought about walking over and starting a conversation, but then remembered the less than warm greeting he received from the pair that owned the inn the night prior; he decided to hang back and observe the brightly-feathered individual for a while before extending a greeting.

For a good while, the jeweler had no luck with the small throng of passersby. A few would glance at the display cases and even fewer would stop and look more closely. One wealthy-looking Bosmer actually began haggling with him until she was drawn away by the Falmer blood peddler. Walks-Without-Noise sighed through his nose at the lost business.

"Seems like we're having the same amount of luck, friend," he mumbled before taking another bite of apple. The young Argonian was about to head to the inn but the pair of young men approaching the stall made him reconsider. Both were young, the oldest appearing a couple winters behind the reptile and the other younger still. Walks watched as they began speaking with the vendor about a ring the younger human had on his finger, though neither gave him much time to respond to their questions. The blue and green thief took another bite of fruit as the little scene continued, and suddenly stopped mid chew when he realized what they were trying to accomplish.

It was a thieving strategy he'd often employed with friends back in Cyrodiil; he and an accomplish would get the target talking long enough so one of them could get and hand on the counter, quickly swipe a trinket, and then be on their merry way. What the two before him had failed to do was make sure no one was hanging around to witness it. He had to stifle a chuckle while the older boy leaned on the counter with a hand dangerously close to a gold necklace as the three continued to haggle. To do something like this in the light of noon with no lookout was foolish, and to do it in the rat hole of the country was dishonorable. The hand finally closed around the trinket and slipped into the boy's pocket. Walks glanced about; no one saw it but him.

An evil little idea turned in his mind as they quickly made their way out of the marketplace. It was time the coin-snatchers of Skyrim learned a few things about honor and finesse. The blue and green Argonian ate the last bit of apple and casually trailed the thieving couple. They looked so damn sure of themselves it was pitiful; the snatcher-Breton judging by his scent-was all but strutting down the walkway while the younger boy-a Nord-kept glancing about and snickering to himself.

_Sloppy on both approach and escape,_ the older thief thought to himself, hardly even needing to keep hidden. He severely hoped this was their first heist; celebrating in the middle of town was idiotic, even in Riften. They led him under the stone arches of the temple where he held back as they continued to the cemetery. The two stopped and crouched low when they reached the shadows between the temple and the mausoleum. Walks-Without-Noise decided it was time to spoil the fun and came out of his hiding place.

"That could have gone better," he announced while approaching. The Breton and Imperial whirled at his voice, a flicker of fear passing between them. "A word of advice: don't count your coin before you're out of the house. That was rather poorly done."

The dark-haired Breton narrowed his eyes and stood up. "I don't know what you're talking about, Argonian," he growled.

Walks snorted. "That necklace that you pinched from the jeweler and is now in your pocket? I'm surprised the entire marketplace didn't see that." He slowly extended his hand, palm up. "We can do this two ways: return the trinket yourselves, or give it to me and the guards won't hear a thing."

The young man advanced on the Argonian, coming nearly nose-to-nose with him. Walks suppressed another snicker; he just barely made it to his snout. "We don't have to do anything for you, marsh-lander. We're members of the Thieves Guild; we own this city, so back off." The older thief blinked, shocked by his stroke of good luck and took a step back to put some distance between them.

"I'm not afraid of the Guild's whelps," he retorted. "Now, give me the necklace or I'll have you arrested." The younger thief puffed up at the threat.

"Just leave him alone, Antoine," the Nord sighed. "No one's going to believe one lizard, and even if they do we can just pay the guards off." Something wicked flashed in the Argonian's eyes and he bared his teeth in smile.

"Really?" he quipped. "Let's test your theory." Before the Argonian managed to suck in a breath to shout, Antoine lashed out with a fist; Walks-Without-Noise jerked back and just missed catching the blow. The boy swung a second time and again he dodged, backing up a few steps. "This is what they teach you? Shameful!" He sidestepped a left hook, giving himself more distance to work with. "My offer still stands! Give me what you stole and I'll make sure the assault charges are dropped!"

"Antoine! He's not worth it!" the Nord exclaimed, trying to stop the still-swinging Breton.

"Yes, listen to your milk-drinker friend!" Walks goaded. "A belly-crawler like me isn't worth this much physical effort!" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the other boy's face change at hearing the insult. With his pride seemingly tainted, the Nord charged into the duel, swinging wildly. Nevermind the jewelry. Walks was sending them to the dungeon for a lesson in professionalism.

He bolted back the way they'd come to bait them into following; the poor fools were close on his heels as he loped up the walkway and right into the eyesight of an armed guard. _ Perfect timing._

"Help! Help!" he cried in feigned panic. "Thieves!" As predicted, the sentry drew his sword and rushed past the fleeing reptile, soon followed by two others. Walks-Without-Noise trotted to a halt and turned to see the looks of realization form on the young thieves' faces as they were surrounded. He caught his breath before claiming, "They stole from me. I was walking by the temple when they took a necklace from my pocket. The two attacked when I tried to get it back." Anger quickly returned to Antoine's face. He lunged, only stopped by a sentry's outstretched arm.

"That's a lie!" he accused. "We didn't take anything from him! He's the one who started the fight!"

"Search them," the Argonian suggested. "It's a gold necklace with an amethyst inset. One of them should still have it." One of the guards took the suggestion and quickly found the piece of jewelry in the young Breton's possession. Walks-Without-Noise hid a chuckle as the guard gave him the trinket the duo was dragged off to prison. A few days in a jail cell would let the two think about their life choices, Walks reasoned. Clutching the recovered property, the young thief went back to the marketplace to return it. He was slightly surprised to see what looked like a transaction taking place at the jeweler's stall, but waited while the blond Nord woman in front of him finished paying for a small bag before approaching.

"Afternoon, marsh-friend," he greeted the other Argonian, putting his free hand on the counter.

"Hello there," the feathered reptile replied before motioning to the display cases. "Could I interest you in some fine pieces from the homeland?" Walks glanced over the jewelry inside the cases, the familiar twinge of desire forming in his gut. He then shook his head and met the craftsman's eyes.

"I wish I could buy a few of these, but for the moment I'm on an extremely tight budget," Walks sighed. "But, perhaps I could interest you in recovering some lost property?" He held the necklace up so that it dangled in the air and gleamed in the sun's rays. The second Argonian's jaw hung open, shock coloring his features as he found the empty spot where the trinket had originally been set. "That Breton and Nord that questioned you about the ring earlier? It was a trick to get this," the young thief explained while laying it on the counter. "I don't think you'll have to worry about either of them for a while, however. They'll be spending the next few days in a cell." The jeweler picked up the necklace and carefully looked it over for damage.

"Not a scratch…" he mused to himself as he turned it over in his hand. He met the young thief's eyes and smiled. "You have my thanks, marsh-friend. Few in this city would concern themselves with such matters; I'm glad you are one that did."

Walks-Without-Noise nodded, glancing about the surrounding area. "Yes, security in this hold is certainly…lacking, to be polite." It had been rather easy to sneak in through one of the back entrances, now that he remembered. "I doubt it's made it easy on any of the proprietors here, especially with the Thieves Guild under your feet."

"Each day is different," the jeweler reasoned while putting the trinket in its proper place. "Some days go by and we never hear a thing from the Ratway. Other times we're not so lucky. It's the likes of them and bandits that have made it dangerous to go out looking for more materials for crafting. The few times I tried to venture out I've had to turn back because of highwaymen."

"Perhaps you're not using the right pathways," the thief offered. The wheels once again began to turn in his head and he leaned a little more on the stall's counter. "Maybe we could help each other, one Saxhleel to another?"

"How so?" the craftsman questioned, tilting his head.

"Well, both of us seem to be in a bit of a predicament, and I think we could benefit from each other's services. I know which roads to take and where to look for more valuable items," Walks-Without-Noise began evenly while trying his best to sell himself. "If you would permit me, I could search for the materials you need to craft more jewelry."

"And in return you would want payment," the other Argonian finished.

"That would be entirely up to you," Walks added quickly. "I only need enough gold to live on, and I'm sure you know how difficult it is for our people to find work in this cold land that offers such wages." He hoped his proposal would work; he could stretch his legs and explore the region, perhaps find another settlement with wealthy inhabitants that wouldn't miss a few coins.

The jeweler pondered the notion for a few moments, weighing his options. He then looked up at the young thief and smiled. "Let's talk business, marsh-friend."  
-

Walks-Without-Noise waited until late night to sneak to the stables. He hugged the city wall and came around from the lake, knowing it would be foolish to use to main entrance. An older horse had caught his eye the previous morning, and now he had a reason to "borrow" it. A few pieces of an apple were in his pocket in case he needed to placate the large creature, though with his light-footed nature he doubted he'd cause a ruckus and spook the horse. His hip jostled the small bag of gold at his waist, a "parting gift" from the Nord armor vendor that would act as the down payment for the horse. Walks figured he would get the rest while selling excess ore and gems on the road. His hand went to his chest and felt slight rise where the note explaining his plan and the list of items he needed rested underneath his shirt. Hopefully, he wouldn't end up in the dungeon when he returned to the city.

The thief's paced slowed as the stable owner's residence came into view. There was a sliver of smoke coming from the chimney, but no light shown through the windows. Walks waited for a few moments to make sure he heard no movement from within the home. No reason to have a repeat of the night prior's events. When nothing but the breeze rustling the trees around him reached his ears, Walks crept closer to the horses. A mare in the stall closest to the dwelling snorted and stomped a hoof as he made it to the edge of the stables. The blue and green Argonian threw a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure noone had heard while digging in his pocket to retrieve an apple slice.

"Here, friend," he whispered, offering the fruit to the animal. "I won't pester you for long, I only want to speak with the older stallion." With the mare crunching her gift, he moved on to the next stall and slipped under the rope acting as its gate. Walks-Without-Noise stood and blinked when he fully realized how large the old horse was. The young Argonian could barely see over the dappled gray equine's back, even with his average height. Its powerful muscles worked as it cocked a large hind hoof and shook its fuzzy head. Alerting the guards wasn't the only possible danger he faced tonight. Carefully, the thief held out a clawed hand and touched the horse's whiskered snout as a sign of good will. The animal didn't react harshly, so he took it as a sign it was safe to move closer.

"Sorry to bother you at this time of night, but I'm in a bit of a hurry," Walks explained, patting the animal's neck. "You see, I need someone to help me travel to a few places around the region, and I think you are that person." Slowly, he reached for the bridle hanging just outside the stall. "Would you be interested in accompanying me, kind sir?" The equine snorted and turned an ear to the Argonian's voice. "I'm going to take that as a yes, then." Walks-Without-Noise slipped the bridle of the animal's head and fastened it accordingly before sticking his note on the nail. Carefully, he led the horse a good distance away from the stables to make sure no one would see him get on the creature. Once they were down the road, the Argonian mounted his steed to begin his search for gold and jewels.


	3. A Familiar Stranger

Three years later

The sun was already at its apex in the sky when the two travelers reached the birch forests of the Rift. A cool breeze past through the colorful leaves of the areas many trees, sending little whirlwinds of gold and brown across the cobbled path. Walks-Without-Noise always enjoyed the beginning and return trips that took him mostly through the forested area; it was a pleasant change from the evergreen or snow white landscapes of the rest of the region. It was also one of the more dangerous holds in his opinion, considering he had been chased by a bear or the odd wolf on more than a few occasions while riding through it. But as he and Swift trotted down one of the safer roads that led to Riften he decided not to worry about any impending danger and just enjoy the ride. If anything _did _occur, however, Swift was quick for his age and Walks' archery skills had only gotten better over the many months of travelling.

But there were so many things to enjoy! Since his agreement with Madesi both their funds had grown nicely and he'd gained a good friend in the jeweler. He had also managed to win the favor of a few other residents—some of which had started using his trips as a sort of mail service, which gave him more things to do while on the road. And then there were the good people he met in the other holds, some even willing to wander with him every now and then. Civil war and now Dragon Crisis aside, Skyrim wasn't the same place it had been six years ago when he had arrived wide-eyed and wet behind the gills; it had transformed into something much more promising if he managed to continue to play his cards right.

Walks-Without-Noise eased up on the reins as he lazily sat back in the saddle to admire his surroundings. He breathed in the pleasant scent of the flora and fauna before exhaling slowly. "Perfect day to be out riding, eh Swift?" The dappled horse snorted and set his ears back against his head. Confused, the Argonian tilted his head before giving the animal's neck a gentle stroke. "You're not still sore over Windhelm, are you? I told you it wasn't my fault, boy. I wasn't going to ride through that snow storm and possibly get us lost up there with animals and people that only get irritated when you loose an arrow at them. And it's not like you didn't have company; I saw those two mares in the stalls next to yours. Try to look on the bright side: we made a little more gold during our stay thanks to the dock workers and the _lovely _people of the city." The extended time in the city had given him a little more time to negotiate prices with the Argonians on the docks and a few other residents, including the Khajiit caravan that set up near the stables. The two days cooped up in the frozen city had also given Walks a night of glorious freedom to terrorize the coin purses and strongboxes of some unlucky Nords. Even though he had something of a steady courier service for the people or Riften, that did not stop him from continuing to indulge in his previous line of work. He always needed a backup plan in case said courier service ever fell through and he needed to keep his skills sharp, even if it meant practicing with petty theft. Of course, that gold was going in his personal funds as there was no need to involve Madesi in such shady practices. The jeweler was a decent Saxhleel and Walks-Without-Noise was not going to drag him down with him if he was ever caught.

The Argonian was silent for a few moments while he thought of the best way to brighten his horse's sour mood. A tiny smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth and he sucked in a quick breath. "Across the plains and through the pines, up the hills and snow banks! Down the streams, over the fords, and around the misty mountains!" Walks began as he finally settled on a tune he liked. Swift's paced slowly started to quicken, so the thief's volume grew with the next verse. "Oh, Swift and I, brothers in arms! A pair could never be better! The dashing thief and his valiant steed, we'll always wander together! We travel near, we travel far, to areas unknown! But now my friend, as I've said, soon we will be home!" Walks laughed, giving his old war horse a warm pat on the neck while the animal twitched his ears at the song. Swift enjoyed songs almost as much as he did and they always put a little more bounce in his step. The Argonian gave another laugh and pulled a creased piece of parchment and charcoal from the satchel at his hip. He quickly glanced at the scribbled names and quantities of supplies on the list, making small notes as to who still needed what.

"Madesi's taken care of, now that I've gotten a handle on the Transmute spell," he began, striking through the name. "I have the last three fire salts for Balimund," another strike, "the last ice wraith tooth for Marise…still need two nirnroot after this trip for Ingun. Hmph. Of course I need to keep the person with the most powerful relative in the city waiting, but at least she's been patient so far." He underlined her name in a thick line before leaning forward in the saddle and bending down closer to the stallion's head. "It might be time to do some more scrounging behind a few locked doors, eh Swift?" The dappled horse shook his mane and Walks-Without-Noise straightened up in the saddle. "Or we could do it the old fashioned way and ask around the Khajiit caravans and alchemist shops. Whatever you fancy, friend. Oh, and remind me to buy another dozen of those green apples you like from Keerava; I think we've both earned a reward for this trip." He glanced back at the sack tied to Swift's saddle that held the bottle of wine he had purchased from the caravan; it would be a nice little surprise to share with the jeweler.

The outline of Shor's Stone began to become visible ahead of the pair, which marked the halfway point to Riften. Walks felt the stallion tense as he tried to refrain from hastening his pace; the Argonian wasn't the only one who was eager to return home. Chuckling, the courier gently squeezed the animal's sides with his knees, sending Swift into a quick canter.

Walks-Without-Noise creaked open the door the Elgrim's Elixers and glanced about the small establishment. He had decided to make Ingun's delivery his last stop despite the shop's close proximity to the front gates, reasoning that if anything were to go wrong, at least he had spoken with his friends for one last time. The thief spotted the Nord sitting in one of the chairs by the fireplace and made his way over; she looked up as he stopped in front of her.

"I finally managed to find all the nightshade you needed, Miss Black-Briar," he began while taking the bundle of plants out of his satchel. "I'll have all the nirnroot when I come back from my next outing."

Ingun looked over the plant samples that were sticking out of the top of the deadly bouquet. "Thank you, I know getting these wasn't the easiest of tasks. Come by the manor later this evening for your payment." Walks gave a little nod a bow before heading back to the door, but stopped just as his hand gripped the handle.

"Um…could I inquire something of you, Miss Black-Briar?" he called, trying to keep his voice as respectful as possible. She quirked an eyebrow, but gave a slow nod in approval. The thief lowered his head a bit and scratched at the base of one of his curled horns. "Well, I've heard that the wholesale price of Black-Briar mead has gone up again, and so I was wondering if perhaps Miss Maven would consider lowering it just a bit." He moved a few paces closer to her position yet still managed to keep his distance. "I mean, only for here—in Riften. With the town's economy as it is, maybe selling the mead at a slightly lower—and I mean slightly—rate would help strengthen Riften's income. The other shops in town might see more business if this was the only place to buy Black-Briar mead at a…" He glanced up to see Ingun staring at him with a look that quickly told him to drop that train of thought, and he took a few steps toward the door. "Perhaps I should stop talking."

"I think that would be best," the Nord agreed before getting up and placing the nightshade on the counter. "Thank you again for helping restock Elgrim's supplies, but please try to hurry with those nirnroot."

"Yes, Miss Black-Briar." Walks gave a small bow and exited the alchemy shop. _At least now no one can say I didn't try_. Hopefully she would keep this little blunder from Maven and hopefully he would not find Maul's armored fist in his face when he came to collect his gold. Sighing, the Saxhleel rolled his shoulders before heading up the stairs to the main plaza. It was unusually packed for it to be late afternoon, so much that Walks had to weave and squeeze between shoppers to make it back to the stall.

"So, you made it back alive, and with all appendages attached, I see," Madesi laughed while the younger Argonian approached.

Walks smirked while he took his usual position behind the stall. "So it seems, though one of these days I might wake up to find my horns missing if I keep opening my mouth around the wrong people."

"You've lived here for almost three years now and _still _haven't figured that out?" The jeweler's tone took on a playful quality as he turned back to the throng of people mingling in the plaza. "You need to be more careful, Walks-Without-Noise. Good errand runners and friends are in short supply around here; I'd hate to have to wait around for another one to come along."

Walks snorted at the jest while pulling at the bottom of his shirt and scratching off a patch of dirt. "Oh, but treading the fine line of social and economic boundaries is what makes life in this town exciting. Constantly being kept on my toes due to my…arts of persuasion is quite entertaining."

"Yes, well, now you can take on the exciting task of cleaning those pieces Svana and Nivenor left for you." Walks glanced at the two necklaces and ring in a small wooden bowl settled against one of the stall's support beams.

"It will be done, milord," he teased before gathering his supplies from the bottom cabinet. He took the bowl in his other hand and sat crossed legged against the stone wall and went to work. The art of thieving gave him a few skills that carried over well in the task; deft hands for lockpicking made sure he was careful around the insets and keen eyes from learning his environment in a short time allowed him to detect smaller scratches and debris. He soon settled into his task of picking away grime and polishing the metal while listening to the sounds of the plaza. It seemed to be a good day for everyone due to the crowd and nice weather; Madesi made five large sales within the hour, and Grelka must have been doing just as well because her tone sounded somewhere near satisfied for once. Nivenor came around a few hours later to retrieve her necklace and Shadr followed soon after to put down a few more septims on a gift for Marise. Walks kept himself busy by cleaning up a few other trinkets from the display cases once he was done with Svana's piece. It was not until the crowd had dissipated and business hours were nearly over that the two Saxhleel could strike up another conversation.

"Have you ever thought about enchanting a few of these?" the blue and green Argonian questioned, finally rising from his position and moving to place a few rings back in their cases.

Madesi gave a little shrug while making sure everything was locked up. "Once or twice, but I've never had the resources or skills to really try it." He turned to face Walks. "How are yours?"

"Extremely basic," Walks admitted. "I mean, I know simple health and stamina enchantments, but nothing flashy or extravagant. I might try to find a book on it the next time I head out, along with a bow that has a Soul Snare enchantment on it."

"There's plenty of game around here to fill soul gems, and we could sell the pelts and meat that we don't use," Madesi mused. "Hm. You might be on to something, hatchling; we'll talk it over during dinner. The Bee and the Barb tonight?"

The younger Argonian's eyes lit up; perfect timing to announce the surprise of Surilie Brother's wine and roast pheasant safely stashed in Beggar's Row for the two of them. Smiling, Walks leaned his back against the side of the stall and folded his arms. "Actually, I have a little something in—"

"Excuse me?" came an unfamiliar voice. Walks-Without-Noise jumped up and turned to find its owner, suddenly becoming grateful his face wasn't extremely expressive. An Altmer woman stood across from them, an inquiring expression on her features. A coldness began to spread down the young Argonian's spine as he took a few small steps back while Madesi moved forward to interact with the customer. The thief grabbed Svana's necklace from the bowl and quickly returned to his spot against the wall, trying to feign cleaning it again to make himself look busy.

_Talk to him don't look at me talk to him talk to him_.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, but I was wondering if you could help me," the Altmer explained politely. Walks continued to focus on the necklace and did his best to ignore the elf.

"I'll try my best, Miss," the jeweler responded. "What can I help you with?"

"I'm new to the area, you see," she began, "just moved to the area from Bruma down in Cryrodiil after hearing tales about unique creatures up north. I was hoping you could tell me a little about the fauna of this region; I've asked around the other shopkeepers, but they haven't been much help, so it looks like you're my last hope. Have you seen any strange creatures or peculiarities in the native animals around the area?"

"None that I can recall," Madesi began slowly. "We have the usual animals of Skyrim: bears, deer, elk, wolves, rabbits. Though I haven't ventured far from the city in some time, so I wouldn't know about the creatures further out in the Rift. However, my friend here might know a little more about the subject." Walks-Without-Noise's gut knotted up when he felt two sets of eyes settle on his hunched form. "Have you seen anything strange lately, Walks?"

The young Argonian glanced up at the pair and quickly shook his head. "No…no." He returned his attention to the piece in his hand, scratching away some invisible dirt with a claw. _Go away, go away_.

"Oh, well that's a shame," the High Elf sighed. "I was hoping to find a population of gray foxes around the area. I've heard from hunters that catching one can make one very rich. Actually managed to track one from Falkreath to somewhere near here, but the trail went cold some time ago. Have either of you ever seen one?"

"Can't say that I have," the feathered Saxhleel replied.

"They're fascinating creatures," she explained. "Almost completely nocturnal, and they tend to build their dens near cities. But one of the most peculiar things I've heard about them is how social they are. Normally, foxes tend to be solitary creatures, but not this species; usually these creatures travel and hunt in large family groups. A gray fox never hunts alone."

Walks' wide-eyed gaze shot up to meet the Altmer's before he could stop himself. _How in Oblivion…? _The briefest of smiles and a knowing look flashed across her features before she returned her attention to Madesi. The young Argonian went deaf to the rest of their conversation while his stomach flopped and his mouth dried_. There was no possible way she could know that._ Maybe he had misheard her words or even misinterpreted them; after all, he hadn't been paying full attention to the elf. _But that look… _That unnerving, eerie flash of registration when he met her eyes was quickly starting to make him doubt that theory. That _was _the passphrase of his father's guild back home in Cyrodiil, and she _had _in fact spoken it as clear as the waters of Lake Poppad. The stunned pickpocket, however, wanted to know how in all the realms of Oblivion a High Elf would know something so intimate. _Everyone else left Skyrim years ago, and as far as I know I'm still the only one in the province. We've never had an Altmer in our ranks, and we would have never recruited one after that night—_

"Walks-Without-Noise?" The blue and green Saxhleel blinked a few times to clear his thoughts before shaking his head. His vision focused on his employer and the thankfully familiar eyes of Svana Far-Shield.

"I-I'm sorry, I…" he began before clearing his throat. "I'm fine. What did you need?" Madesi gestured to the necklace still clutched in his hand. "Oh! Yes, right. Uh, here you are, Miss Far-Shield; good as new." He lowered the piece into its owner's hands only to find his own shaking; he quickly stuffed them into his pockets once the trinket was safely with Svana.

The Nord woman quirked an eyebrow. "Are you feeling alright, Walks?"

_I feel like a troll rammed me in the gut_. He nodded, shifting his weight onto one foot. "I'm fine, Svana, I was just thinking back on a previous conversation with Madesi." He turned to the Argonian in question. "You know-enchanting? Just trying to figure out the expenses." He watched as his employer gave a small nod, but Walks still caught the slight furrow in his brow.

"You were trembling," the feathered Argonian observed while turning a little more to face him.

"I'm hungry," Walks countered quickly, rolling his shoulders. "I haven't had anything to eat since I stopped at Shor's Stone. I'll be fine once I get something at dinner." He forced a smile. "I'm _fine_, really. You two are too damn good for this city, you know that? Too kind for this skeever hole of a town." He could tell by the looks in their eyes that they knew he was trying to divert attention from himself, but they thankfully allowed the awkward conversation to end. Svana paid her fee and left the plaza for the bunkhouse, giving the young Argonian one last worried look as she went. Once again, the pair was left to their own devices, yet this time with a slightly uncomfortable air hovering over them.

The jeweler was the first to speak. "So…we were deciding on dinner?" Something in his tone sounded off, as if he was still unsure about completely letting go of their previous tangent.

Walks-Without-Noise nodded as he wiped his hands on his trousers, trying to physically rid himself of the uneasy feeling still clinging to the fringes of his thoughts. "I, um, actually had something for us back in Beggar's Row, if you want to save the Bee and the Barb for tomorrow. And if Edda and Snilf haven't found it yet." The corners of his mouth tugged into a tiny smile at his own joke. The Row had become something of a safe haven for him, and his desire to mingle with the usual patrons of the inn was sapped from the elf's words. Walks had to catch himself from sighing in relief when his friend finally nodded at his suggestion; his tense shoulders relaxed when the feathered Argonian wrapped a friendly arm around them while directing their path to the lower level of the city. Walks tried to focus on the image of the large wine bottle hidden behind a few baskets in their sleeping alcove. "I hope you like Surilie Brother's, friend."

The young thief was ripped from sleep by a sudden and painful seizing up of his calf muscles. Gritting his teeth to keep from crying out, he jerked on his shirt and tried to get on his feet. After a little drunken wobbling Walks managed to find his footing before attempting to walk out the cramp, with little success. He'd tried his best at getting drunk enough to forget the incident with the Altmer earlier that evening, only to reap the unpleasant repercussions after he'd closed his eyes. True, the wine had made him forget about _that _particular High Elf, but in the process had made way for another memory to rear its ugly head in his dreams.

_Damn it_. He quickly fished his key to the door from his pocket and let himself out into the open air, hoping that at longer trek on the boardwalk would ease the tenseness in his leg._ This must've been the bear trap in the dream_, he thought bitterly as his leg finally began to relax. The same dream he had been plagued with over the past several years. Different elements peppered throughout each time, but basically the same scenario: running through the Imperial City's sewers while being pursued and taunted by the shadows biting at his heels. He never saw what was behind him, but he knew. Walks knew from their voices and the pungent smell of death what they were. Every time he tried looking over his shoulder to see them, the dream would either end or the shadows would engulf him. Vaemira must've enjoyed torturing him by twisting the already unpleasant memory of that night in the Imperial City into a night terror.

Walks-Without-Noise finally stopped a good ways away from Beggar's Row, the snarl in his calf gone. Glancing up at the sky, he grumbled when he found the two moons still clearly visible. They taunted him with the idea of sleep, and even though his aching head and tired body screamed for more, his mind yelled right back that it wasn't risking having to experience the nightmare twice in one night. After a few minutes of this internal debate raging in his groggy mind, his shoulders slumped in defeat and he decided to look over the shop's ledger, wagering he could fill his mind with numbers and names that might not leave room for the memory. Walks slowly began trudging back to the Row with the sour reminder that he was still going to pay for the night's happenings the next day. Perhaps he could convince Madesi to let him sleep in or take the day off; he might be suffering from his own hangover in the morning, but that wouldn't stop him from going back to the plaza.

As he went for the door to the Row, the young Argonian swayed to the left and jostled a few of the barrels positioned near the end of the dock. He steadied them the best he could brushing his hand over something sticking out of the top of one of the larger ones. Confused, Walks took hold of the protrusion again and tugged; half of an iron arrow gave way to his efforts. He would have dismissed the thing as some person's stupidity or a prank from one of the children from Honorhall if not for the tiny detail that was revealed once he brought the arrow shaft closer to the lantern light.

A folded letter was punched onto the arrow's head. A letter addressed to _him_. The uneasy feeling from earlier that day slowly began to creep back down his spine and into his gut as he freed the parchment from the weapon and opened it. It quickly turned into fear that hit him with the force of a raging snow bear as he read the four words contained in the note.

_We're coming for you_.


End file.
